Newsletter from Mango: When Cats Get Sick

Hi Everybody, Mango here

Recently I was feeling a little under-the-weather, so I consulted my medical expert, Google.

Did you know that, according to statistics from Veterinary Pet Insurance Co, there is really only a small number of feline medical problems that account for 60% of medical claims?

We cats have experienced at least one of these common medical issues:

Urinary tract disease

chronic renal failure

ear or eye infections

skin allergies and infections

injuries and bites

vomiting

tooth infections

skin growths

While I felt fine a few minutes later (I guess it was something in the yard that I ate), it got me to thinking – should i have alerted my Cat-human right away? Do our Cat-humans understand when we try to tell them something’s wrong? These are important questions for our health!

Cat-humans, here is something you can do for us kitties regularly:

Take a look into our eyes, ears, and at our skin and teeth. C’mon cat-friends, let your human do this. It’s important to catch problems early!

Cat-humans, have you noticed a change in your furry friend’s behavior recently?

Something may be wrong. It might be a simple thing like; having moved to a new location, a new pet brought into the home, changing our brand of food too quickly – or A HURRICANE. (Was anyone else as stressed out as I was this past month? Irma sure made me feel strange!)

Cat-humans: If you find a lump, sore, or we are acting strangely, please bring us to our doctor (vet) as soon as possible.

A Story:
A few years ago, a friend of mine said he took to his litter box. He told me he felt awful, was afraid of making a mess in the house, so he curled up into his litter box. Strange behavior, to be sure! When his Cat-human tried to pick him up, he couldn’t help but scream. His Cat-human, quite rightly, took him to the emergency vet. They said he had a urinary tract infection and gave him some medication. He went to his regular vet for a follow up and was fine in a few days.

BUT, then a week later, he was back in his litter box again. This time, his doctor realized he had a serious back injury, requiring emergency surgery! All worked out well. He is back to playing with his toys, exercising, eating a healthy diet, and has a little cat nip every now and then. On Wednesdays, we still get together under the bush in his front yard and watch life go by. THANKS go to his wonderful Cat-human for quickly getting him the treatment he needed!

The moral to this story:

Cat-humans: If you notice a slight difference in us; scratching ears more than normal, a slight limp, not eating or drinking as usual, assess the situation and take us to our vet. You might also pay attention to your friends’ cats. Because you don’t see them everyday, you might see something new they don’t.

To my Cat-friends: it’s ok to tell your Human when you are not feeling well. Don’t be stubborn and think you can always fix it yourself – they can help!

That’s all for now…
Ciao!
Mango

PS – my editor would like to ask a favor – if you liked this blog, would you let us know? Simply click on this email address and type the message “Yes” or “No” – and send. Thanks!